Open mike 02/09/2022
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All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...4 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...4 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...5 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...6 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...6 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...6 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...7 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...7 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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I have followed this for YEARS ! Does anyone on the Standard have local or other knowledge on this?
Would appreciate input, thanks.
This Tim Gilbertson…..is the same as the one as a linkedin page ?
https://nz.linkedin.com/in/tim-gilbertson-898b6983
DOC Planner..Biodiversity.
Seems incongruous…at the very least ? I mean hey Forest and Bird (who I RESPECT immensely ) are against this water hoarding dam.
F and B have a very Proud History of protecting NZ Biodiversity….
It's this Tim Gilbertson, angry farmer in his 60's, ex Fed Farmers chair, ex Mayor, ex councillor.
https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-opinion/a-damn-load-of-emotional-effluent
[user name fixed]
Hi Matiri. Thanks for that. He seems to be focused, well, in a self focused way !
As I say..if Forest and Bird against…..then I'll go F and B : )
Having ruined the Mackenzie basin/country with irrigation focussed dairying 'they' are now focussed on Central HB.
I wonder why every last piece of NZ has to be developed for dairying, apart from greed.
Whatever happened to the mana associated with being a farmer farming to the local conditions, so dryland farmers farmed to dryland conditions etc etc. With a modicum of irrigation used say to irrigate paddocks for winter feed or baleage. Some of these dryland farms often don't need irrigation for this even but are able to use the topography and weather records to plant for winter feed in niche areas.
Sure climate change is making its presence felt. I think that unless/until these developments are able to be sold with the benefits being first to the residents of nearby towns and cities to achieve improved regular and potable water supplies then developments should not go ahead. Developments with a first focus of changing geography/farming/landuse to unsuitable/unsustainable uses should come a distant 100th,
If this would be prevented by Three Waters ie there is a focus on drinking water for the majority then I'm all for Three Waters ……well I am all for Three Waters anyway.
Greed and entitlement is behind this.
Hi Shanreagh. Yes re Mackenzie Basin…Another one I have followed for years. And big credit to Greenpeace for standing up ! Thankyou for being Interested.
Greed…and entitlement. Two apt words for Murray Valentine. Accountant ….
How will Three Waters ensure better water quality in rivers and streams (not to mention sufficient water)? It seems to be directed at drinking water and waste water.
The Three Waters TV advert (since pulled) showed lots of happy fish jumping in a river but I suspect that was just feel-good puffery.
You could say I'm aware of how to construct it.
They could propose a new scheme under National that is lowered and doesn't require DOC land, then…
Focus end uses away from. Dairy and towards horticulture, electricity, reticulated, civic supplies, and flood mitigation.
Would also take a strong local government leader to push it.
And a good comms and engagement team.
Perfectly feasible.
Sure engineering-wise it is able to be constructed.
The greed and entitlement on show here could be mitigated by a project that
did not need soul selling in the 'stoopid' swap for DOC land. Set their sights lower so it does not require a swap.
Focus on the end users
I would put 'horticulture' at the end……..civic projects and help for all should have a place before the creation of individual wealth. We know some horticultural projects are not good employers or NZ corporate citizens, have excessive reliance on overseas labour whether by RSE scheme or back packers. Any intensification of land use risks run-off and migration to aquifers that rely on loose stony ground.
Having been aware of the proponents of this scheme, changes such as this (Ad's and mine) will cause a group apoplexy such as we have not seen before.
3 Waters surely would have a part to play to see that ideas focus on the correct end uses.
If we leave it to Ad's Nats then who knows what would happen…..well we do and none of it would be good.
Under 3 Waters any dam proponent who failed to cut in Maori iwi as shareholders would need their head read.
If three waters had been in post war,we would have had no hydro generation,a reliance on thermals and been economically rooted like Europe et al.Forest and bird would not have existed as the subsistence life that remained would have needed lots of firewood to cook illegal tegal.
Yeah there's a bit of that.
In reality there will be no more in-river dams in NZ ever – unless it's replacing like for like eg Roxburgh. Even the NZBattery Project near Roxburgh is a decade of misery-laden bitching and moaning consents to cold-turkey pull the oil needle out of our veins.
We have more cost efficient pumped storage on the canals,and Aviemore,cheap hydro is very efficient baseline generation (few countries in the world have 2 cents a megawatt on their spot market at the moment.( now)
The great fraud of Europe is exposed,as are their carbon offset markets.
A time and a place for everything under the sun – some things have had their time, some are making hay, and some things are yet to come. Dim sum.
Britain is about to end up with a dinosaur as PM.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/01/liz-truss-oil-gas-energy-climate-crisis
Among other things Owen Jones says:
"Liz Truss – already a plausible contender for the “worst prime minister ever” gong before she even assumes office – apparently intends to issue up to 130 drilling licences for oil and gas firms…..Truss has committed to change planning laws to hinder the development of solar power, trashing an energy source that costs just £55 per MWh. “Our fields shouldn’t be full of solar panels” she crows…..This week, scientists concluded that the Greenland ice cap melting will inevitably mean major rises in sea levels, threatening to overwhelm coastal areas and all those who live in them. A decisive shift to renewable energy offers hope of at least mitigating this calamity, while expanding UK drilling means pouring North Sea oil on to the inferno. "
I can see a Luxon government following a similar path.
Russia really ought to turn some of the focus from it's fascist crusade in the Ukraine to addressing the serious health and safety issue that its vast number of full length open windows in public building seems to pose.
Its like the joke –
Q: What are the last words of a Russian oligarch before he commits suicide?
A: “Please! Don’t shoot!”
First article I’ve read from Peter Dunne where he doesn’t put the boot into Labour. Makes an interesting argument comparing Ian Foster and Chris Luxon.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/luxon-in-danger-of-becoming-the-ian-foster-of-nz-politics?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=7a872e0b06-Daily_Briefing+02.09.2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-7a872e0b06-47886425
He does stick the boot in a bit over the Sharma (non) affair. But it is interesting that he is not impressed with Luxon's performance as leader. Coming from Dunne that is a real problem for the Nats.
Now this is a Labour bill that I can get behind 100% – Plain Language bill passes second reading.
The amount of obfuscatory language emerging from government departments is mind-blowing.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129751653/labours-plain-language-bill-passes-second-reading
National opposing – mostly it seems from the ingrained habit (see a car, bark) – that tends to infect opposition parties.